चटनी (chatnii)
noun
A single, concrete sense: the tangy/spicy accompaniment made of ground fruits, herbs, or spices, plus a common figurative extension for 'making mincemeat' of something.
Sense
1
:
chutney (condiment)
noun, feminine
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: No North Indian meal feels complete without at least one चटनी (chatnii) on the plate -- green (mint-coriander) with snacks, tamarind with samosas, coconut with South Indian food. Every household has its own recipe passed down through the women of the family, and asking 'इसमें चटनी क्या है' (ismen chatnii kyaa hai, 'what's in this chutney') is a classic way to start a kitchen conversation.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often assume चटनी (chatnii) means the sweet bottled 'chutney' sold in Western stores -- in everyday Indian kitchens it usually refers to a fresh, just-ground condiment (mint, coriander, tamarind, coconut, tomato, etc.) made the same day, not a preserved jam. 2) It takes बनाना (banaanaa, 'to make') as its usual verb, not पकाना (pakaanaa, 'to cook') -- most chutneys are ground raw or briefly tempered, so पकाना sounds off to a native ear.
Sample Sentences:
माँ ने आज पुदीने की चटनी बनाई है।
Mom has made mint chutney today.
(maan ne aaj pudiine kii chatnii banaaii hai।)
समोसे के साथ इमली की चटनी ज़रूर लो।
Definitely have tamarind chutney with the samosas.
(samose ke saath imlii kii chatnii zaroor lo।)
इसमें चटनी क्या है?
What's in this chutney?
(ismen chatnii kyaa hai?)
दक्षिण भारत में खाने के साथ नारियल की चटनी परोसी जाती है।
In South India, coconut chutney is served with meals.
(dakshin bhaarat men khaane ke saath naariyal kii chatnii parosii jaatii hai।)
हर घर की चटनी का स्वाद थोड़ा अलग होता है।
The taste of chutney is a little different in every household.
(har ghar kii chatnii kaa svaad thodaa alag hotaa hai।)
अगर मेरे पास धनिया होता, तो मैं ताज़ी चटनी बना लेती।
If I had coriander, I would have made fresh chutney.
(agar mere paas dhaniyaa hotaa, to main taazii chatnii banaa letii।)
नानी की बनाई हुई चटनी का कोई मुकाबला नहीं।
There's no comparison to the chutney grandma used to make.
(naanii kii banaaii huii chatnii kaa koii mukaablaa nahiin।)
शायद इस बार चटनी में थोड़ी ज़्यादा मिर्च पड़ गई हो।
Maybe a bit too much chili went into the chutney this time.
(shaayad is baar chatnii men thodii zyaadaa mirch pad gaii ho।)
रेस्तराँ में चटनी अलग से माँगी जा सकती है।
Chutney can be asked for separately at the restaurant.
(restraan men chatnii alag se maangii jaa saktii hai।)
मैं शाम तक टमाटर की चटनी बना चुकी होऊँगी।
I will have finished making tomato chutney by evening.
(main shaam tak tamaatar kii chatnii banaa chukii hooongii।)
जब मैं छोटी थी, दादी हर रोज़ ताज़ी चटनी पीसती थीं।
When I was little, grandmother used to grind fresh chutney every day.
(jab main chhotii thii, daadii har roz taazii chatnii piistii thiin।)
Sense
2
:
to make mincemeat of, to smash/pulp (figurative)
noun, feminine Occurs almost exclusively inside the fixed idiom चटनी बनाना (chatnii banaanaa, 'to smash to a pulp') or चटनी बन जाना (chatnii ban jaanaa, 'to get smashed to a pulp'), describing something (or, jokingly/violently, someone) getting completely crushed or destroyed.
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: Very much a spoken, informal image -- Hindi loves food metaphors for violence, so 'उसकी चटनी बन गई' (uskii chatnii ban gaii, 'he got smashed to a pulp') paints a vivid, half-comic picture, often used about a bad accident or a one-sided fight/argument.
Common Mistakes: 1) This figurative use only works in the fixed phrase चटनी बनाना (chatnii banaanaa) or चटनी बन जाना (chatnii ban jaanaa) -- you cannot substitute other chutney-related verbs and keep the 'smashed to bits' meaning.
Sample Sentences:
तेज़ रफ़्तार गाड़ी टकराई और उसकी चटनी बन गई।
The speeding car crashed and he was smashed to a pulp.
(tez raftaar gaadii takraaii aur uskii chatnii ban gaii।)
अगर तू ऐसे ही चलाता रहा तो एक दिन तेरी चटनी बन जाएगी।
If you keep driving like this, one day you'll get smashed to a pulp.
(agar too aise hii chalaataa rahaa to ek din terii chatnii ban jaaegii।)
बहस में उसने मेरी पूरी चटनी बना दी।
In the argument, he completely tore me to shreds.
(bahas men usne merii poorii chatnii banaa dii।)
देख, अगर दोबारा यहाँ आया तो तेरी चटनी बना दूँगा।
Look, if you come here again, I'll turn you into mincemeat.
(dekh, agar dobaaraa yahaan aayaa to terii chatnii banaa doongaa।)
बाइक स्लिप हुई और सड़क पर उसकी चटनी बन गई थी।
The bike skidded and he had been smashed to a pulp on the road.
(baaik slip huii aur sadak par uskii chatnii ban gaii thii।)
मैच में हमारी टीम की तो चटनी बन गई।
Our team got absolutely thrashed in the match.
(maich men hamaarii tiim kii to chatnii ban gaii।)
काश उस दिन वो इतनी तेज़ न चलाता, वरना उसकी चटनी न बनती।
If only he hadn't driven so fast that day, otherwise he wouldn't have been smashed to a pulp.
(kaash us din vo itnii tez n chalaataa, varnaa uskii chatnii n bantii।)
अरे संभल कर, वरना दीवार से टकरा कर चटनी बन जाएगा।
Hey, be careful, or you'll smash into the wall and get pulped.
(are sambhal kar, varnaa diivaar se takraa kar chatnii ban jaaegaa।)
उस झगड़े में उसकी अच्छी चटनी बनी, अब हफ्तों अस्पताल में है।
In that fight he got properly smashed to a pulp, now he's been in the hospital for weeks.
(us jhagde men uskii achchhii chatnii banii, ab haphton asptaal men hai।)
बॉस के सामने उसकी ऐसी चटनी बनी कि बेचारा कुछ बोल ही नहीं पाया।
He got so torn apart in front of the boss that the poor guy couldn't even say a word.
(bos ke saamne uskii aisii chatnii banii ki bechaaraa kuchh bol hii nahiin paayaa।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
चटनी
(chatnii)
(sg.f.oblique):
चटनी
(chatnii)
(pl.f.direct):
चटनियाँ
(chatniyaan)
(pl.f.oblique):
चटनियों
(chatniyon)